


Wicked Death

by fangirl_250_501



Series: Wicked Love Series [3]
Category: The Maze Runner (Movies), The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Badass Original Character, Badass female character, Book/Movie 3: The Death Cure, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Character Death, F/M, Maze Runner OC, Maze Runner Original Character, Newt (Maze Runner) in Love, POV First Person, POV Original Character, POV Original Female Character, The Death Cure, The Death Cure Spoilers, The Flare, The Last City (Maze Runner), The Maze Runner Spoilers, WICKED | WCKD is Not Good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:21:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25880500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_250_501/pseuds/fangirl_250_501
Summary: It’s been six months since Haylee and Minho were taken by WICKED. And after six months, Newt and Thomas finally manage to pull off their rescue mission. But they failed to get Minho, and the remaining Gladers must go one one final journey to save him and stop WICKED. But there are complications, and Haylee’s world is slowly falling apart. Can she save the one she loves before it’s too late?
Relationships: Minho & Newt & Thomas (Maze Runner), Minho & Thomas (Maze Runner), Newt & Thomas (Maze Runner), Newt (Maze Runner)/OC, Newt (Maze Runner)/Original Character(s), Newt (Maze Runner)/Original Female Character(s), Newt/OC, Newt/Original Character, Newt/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Wicked Love Series [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1865662
Kudos: 15





	1. The Train

It had been been six months.

Six months since WICKED attacked the Right Arm base. Six months since they captured a whole lot of immunes, including me. Six months since Teresa betrayed us.

Six months since I last saw Newt. 

I saw him in the WICKED-induced visions and simulations, of course, but that wasn’t really him. WICKED tried to alter my memories of him, but they failed miserably. 

I still had the ring that he gave me six months ago. When he asked me to marry him, and I obviously said yes. That was when we thought we were safe. 

The others are convinced that no one is ever going to rescue us, but that is surely untrue. I know Newt, and I know Thomas. They wouldn’t abandon us. And this train ride, as they are transporting us to their main facility, is the perfect target. 

WICKED seemed to realize this too, because they had taken far more precautions than they usually would in the past. There were heavy cuffs on our hands that were connected to the ceiling by chains. There were guards posted everywhere, always looking for an excuse to hurt us. 

Next to me was Minho, looking extremely fatigued. WICKED’s experiments had gotten worse in these past few weeks, and it showed on all of us. A few rows in front of us were Aris and Sonya. They attempted to escape once, but WICKED easily caught them and punished them for it. 

Suddenly, there was a loud bang from the roof. Feet appeared in the skylight above us. Two men ran across the top of the train.

I grinned. They were here. 

The train stopped abruptly, and I feel forward face first into the seat in front of me. 

The back door to the train car groaned as it opened. However, it was not Thomas or Newt, but two WICKED guards. They walked down the center aisle until they reached my row. 

One of the guards pulled out a key and unlocked Minho. The other one forced him to stand up, and they started to walk away,

“Wait!” I yelled. Not now, not when we were so close. I tried pull him back, but they were already too far down.

“It’s okay.” Minho said. “I’ll be fine!”

“Minho!” 

But the guards had already shoved him through the door. I couldn’t imagine that my friends had anticipated this happening when they made the plan. 

“Damn it!” I muttered. Meanwhile, the other immunes were shouting, trying to get the attention of whoever was out there. 

“Minho! Haylee!” Came a loud voice from outside. It was Thomas, somehow managing to be louder than all the yells and shouts.

“Haylee!” Said another voice. There was no mistaking that accent. It was Newt.

“Newt!” I yelled back. “Thomas!” 

There was a flurry of activity going on outside the train. The other immunes kept shouting, and our rescuers were saying something as well, but I couldn’t hear.

Gunfire sounded, the bullets pinging against the train. And then, the sound of guns came again, but closer. The Right Arm was retaliating. 

The train car lurched as something latched onto the top. And then we were no longer on the ground. We were in the air, being carried by a Berg. 

Finally. After all these months, I was finally free.

But Minho wasn’t.

…

Sunlight streamed in as the door opened, followed by a group of people that I knew very well.

First was Thomas. I assumed this was his plan, considering the amount of stupidity involved. Still, it did work, and he seemed pretty proud of himself.

Next was Newt. Oh, Newt. Words couldn’t describe how much I missed him, and how overjoyed I was to see him now. 

I didn’t really register everyone else. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Harriet go over to Aris and Sonya and the other immunes from her group. 

Thomas and Newt went straight to me and both hugged me tightly.

“Can’t…breathe.” I said. 

“Sorry.” Thomas said as he backed up, looking at the rest of them.

“Haylee, love, I’m so sorry.” Newt said as he held me close. “I’m so, so sorry. I wanted to come for you every day, I-”

“It’s okay, Newt.” I replied, hugging him back just as fiercely. And then I thought of Minho, how WICKED still had him. “I’m the one that should be sorry.” He gave me a quizzical look, but before he could say anything, Thomas turned around, figuring out the horrible truth.

“He’s not here.” Thomas whispered. “Where’s Minho?’

“I’m sorry.” I said, tears forming in my eyes. “They took him. I couldn’t stop them, and they took him.”


	2. Not-So-Perfect Reunion

“Here.” Said Newt, handing me a water bottle. “Drink this.” I gladly took it. WICKED didn’t give us much to eat or drink, so the cold water was very welcome.

“Thanks.” I said after draining most of it. My other friends were sitting nearby, discussing something. I couldn’t get Minho out of my head, the way they dragged him away just before we were saved. The way freedom slipped through his fingers so quickly.

“Don’t blame yourself, Hayl.” Newt said as if he was reading my thoughts. He sat down on the bench next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “It’s not your fault.”

“I didn’t say it was.”

“But you were thinking it.” Newt replied. 

“I just wish I could have done something.” I said. “Instead I was completely useless.”

“You are anything but useless.” Newt countered. “You managed to survive WICKED for six bloody months. Not many people could have done that.” 

At that moment, Thomas walked over, along with Sonya, Harriet, and Aris. They seemed to be continuing their conversation from before.

“You’re lucky you found us at all.” Sonya was saying. “They had us on the move a lot.”

“It felt like something big was happening.” I chimed in. “There were more guards, and more plan changes.” 

“Any idea where they were heading?” Thomas asked. I shook my head. WICKED didn’t exactly tell us all of their plans. 

“All I know is, they kept talking about a city.” Aris said. I raised my eyebrows in confusion. A city? I thought the whole world had basically been destroyed.

“I didn’t think there were any cities left.” Harriet said.

“That’s because there aren’t.” Said a voice. I looked over to see Brenda, standing in the doorway. She looked pretty good for someone who had gotten the Flare recently. “Not still standing, anyways.”

“Okay, what about Minho?” Thomas asked, and I flinched. “Haylee, you said… you said they took him.”

“I’m sorry, Thomas.” I said. “One second, he was right next to me, and the next, they were taking him away. I tried, I really did. But there was nothing I could do.” 

…

‘The Last City’ was what Jorge said it was called. That’s where their base was, and that’s where they were holding Minho. Unfortunately, Vince and the Right Arm didn’t want to rush in without a plan. After all, it had taken them six months to come up with the whole train rescue plan. 

Also, WICKED was getting close to finding the Right Arm’s base. Vince was planning to move everyone to the Safe Haven tomorrow. But we couldn’t go without Minho. 

I’m sure Thomas thought he was being stealthy with his escape. And I’m sure Newt and Frypan thought they were being sneaky when they joined him. But I could clearly see and hear them in the tent, gathering supplies. 

Were they going without me?

Well, unfortunately for them, I was going whether they liked it or not.

I slid into the back seat of their jeep. I had already gathered some weapons, and I was ready to fight. 

A few minutes later, the car door opened, and the boys came in. Frypan was driving, with Thomas sitting next to him in the passenger’s seat. Newt, meanwhile, was stuck in the back.

“You were really going to leave without me, huh?” 

Frypan yelped in fright, Thomas jumped in his seat, and Newt just stared. 

“Erm… uh…” Thomas said. 

“We- I didn’t want you to get hurt.” Newt explained. “And you just escaped from WICKED…. I didn’t want to put you in anymore danger.” 

“Well, that’s not your decision to make.” I retorted. “We’re going to save him.” Newt let out a long sigh, but he didn’t protest. Frypan drove out into the night, towards the Last City. 

Towards our last fight.


	3. The Crank Tunnel

The car slowed to a stop in front of an abandoned-looking tunnel. We checked the map, and this was the only way to get to the city. It was a bad option, but it was the only one we had.

“You want us to go in there?” Frypan asked. “I don’t want to sound too negative, but if I was a Crank, that’s exactly where I would be.”

“I don’t think we have much of a choice.” I replied. 

“Alright.” Newt said. “I get shotgun.” I laughed a little as he climbed into the passenger’s seat. 

“Well, here we go.” Frypan sighed, and we started to drive into the tunnel.

“Yeah, just take it nice and slow.” Said Thomas, who was holding on to the back of the seat in front of him and leaning forward. 

Frypan slowly maneuvered around the mess of destroyed cars. I still couldn’t see the end of the tunnel, and this whole place just felt like a giant horror movie.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Fry suddenly said, stopping the car. I followed his gaze and, sure enough, right in front of us was a single Crank. Clearly this Crank was far past the Gone, made evident by his incomprehensible screeching and blackened veins.

“It’s okay.” Thomas said. “It’s just one. So… just take it slow and go around him.” 

Just one? Where there was one Crank, there was probably more. But we didn’t exactly have any other plan. 

Newt sighed and rolled up his window as Frypan prepared to continue driving.

I felt an eerie chill go down my spine, and I turned towards Thomas’s window to see a Crank woman bang her hand against it. 

“Aah!” Thomas exclaimed. He backed away from the window, right into me. 

“Please!” She said, trying to get the door open. “Help me!” There was another loud noise behind me as a Crank tried to open my door, and I got as far away from the window as possible.

“Let me in!” The woman screeched. 

“Fry, we gotta go now!” I said as more and more Cranks appeared around the car. I knew this was a bad idea.

“Floor it Frypan, go!” Thomas yelled.

“Hold on!” Frypan shouted as he drove full speed through the crowd of Cranks, running a few of them over in the process. 

“Bloody hell.” Newt muttered while we careened through the tunnel. There was a Crank on the windshield that was pounding on the glass, which was already splintering. 

“Come on, Fry!” 

Frypan shouted something inaudible as he swerved the car so that the Crank crashed into some old scaffolding from who-knows-when.

“Frypan, watch out!” Thomas suddenly screamed. But it was too late. The car hit something on the ground and went completely out of control. I shielded my head as it flipped upside down, coming to rest near the side of the tunnel.

“Is everyone okay?” Newt yelled. I coughed in response, my luges filled with smoke and dust from the crash. 

“My hand.” Frypan moaned. That was not good. He must have been injured. 

I kicked at my window, hoping to shatter the glass. And, after a few tries, it worked. I winced as some fo the shards lodged in my ankle, but I could worry about that later. I crawled through the small opening, with Thomas following closely behind. 

“We’re stuck!” Shouted Newt as he tried to get his door open.

“Hang on!” I said, going around to his side. “Thomas, a little help here!” Thomas ran around the car, and together, we managed to pull the door open. Newt tumbled out onto the ground, letting out a series of loud coughs. 

“You okay?” I asked. He nodded as he stood up, while Thomas started to help Frypan get out of the car.

A loud screech reminded us that we were not alone in this tunnel. The Cranks were coming. 

Newt reached for his gun, only to find that it was gone. I checked my weapons and found that my gun had also been lost. I was armed with only knives, which was going to be a problem if we were going to fight all of these Cranks.

“Shit!” I muttered, scanning the ground for any kind of weapon. 

“Frypan, come on, we have to go now!” Thomas said. But Frypan was still rummaging through the car. 

“Just wait a minute!” He shouted back. Meanwhile, the Cranks were coming faster, and there were a whole lot of them.

“Fry, now!” I yelled. 

“Come on, what are you doing?” Newt said. 

Just as the first Crank reached us, Frypan stood up with a shotgun in hand, and he shot the Crank in the head. 

“Nice shot.” Thomas said breathlessly.

“Thanks.” Fry replied. More screeches and shouts echoed throughout the tunnel as the other Cranks ran towards us. There were far too many of them to fight off, especially when we only had one gun.

“I suggest we run.” I said. My voice sounded small and quiet. 

“Good idea.” Thomas responded. “Go!” We sprinted away form the car wreck and the Cranks, Frypan occasionally turning around to use his gun. 

And then, a haunting sight greeted us. Even more Cranks, blocking the other side. 

Frypan aimed his gun into the crowd, shooting down the Cranks that were coming closest to us. But the gun didn’t have unlimited ammunition. 

Sure enough, the gun clicked. There were no bullets left, and we were still completely surrounded by Cranks. 

“I’m out!” Fry yelled. 

“Shit!” Thomas exclaimed. The Cranks were getting closer and closer, and we basically had zero defenses. I doubted that even the full force of my Alterations could hold them off. 

Suddenly, there was a rumbling of a car, and Bertha the truck plowed through the Cranks with ease. Brenda popped out of the top, holding her gun.

“Guys, get in!” She yelled as she shot the oncoming Cranks. We piled into the truck, which was being driven by Jorge. 

“Go, go, go!” Thomas shouted once we were all in the truck. Jorge drove like a madman, not stopping for anything as we drove to the end of the tunnel. Soon, we were in the clear, leaving the Cranks and the tunnel behind.

Next to me, Newt winced and held his arm as if it was injured.

“Hey, are you alright?” I asked quietly.

“Yeah.” He said. “I’m fine.” But I could tell that he was lying.

“I’m impressed.” Jorge commented. “You guys almost lasted a whole day.” Brenda turned around and shook her head slightly at Thomas.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to bring you guys into this.” Thomas explained.

“I think what he’s trying to say is ‘Thanks for saving us.’” Frypan added. 

“You’re welcome.” Brenda said, rolling her eyes slightly. 

“Don’t get you hopes up hermanos.” Jorge said. “That checkpoint back there, that was the city’s last defense. If that was overrun, chances are the city is too.” 

“Yeah…” I said, staring out the window. “Unless they found some other way to keep the Cranks out.” Because this Last City? It was entirely surrounded by walls. 

Jorge slammed his foot on the breaks, and the car skidded to a stop. We got out of the car to get a better view. The city was majestic. Skyscrapers rose up from the ground, and it looked completely clean. I didn’t think a place like this still existed.

“Funny, we spent two years trapped behind walls, trying to break out, and now we want to break back in.” Newt commented. 

“Yeah, it’s hilarious.” Frypan said sarcastically. 

“Jorge, how do we get in?” Thomas asked as he peered at the walls surrounding the city.

“Don’t look at me, hermano.” Jorge said defensively. “Those walls are new.”

“I guess that’s WICKED’s answer for everything.” I sighed. 

“Well we’re not going to figure out from up here.” Said Brenda, tearing her gaze away from the city. “Let’s go!” 

She got back into the car, and I followed her in.

“Hey.” I said. “If it makes you feel any better, they tried to leave me behind too.” Brenda just chucked and rolled her eyes again.

“Boys really are idiots.” She said with a laugh. 

“Yeah.” I said, glancing out the window at Newt and Thomas, who were still looking at the Last City. “Not always, though.”


	4. An Old Friend

Just outside of the city was nothing like the inside. People, most likely not immune, stood around the walls, demanding to be let in. Fights and squabbles broke out in the streets. Protestors marched through the crowds, preaching anti-WICKED statements. 

“This place has really gone through hell.” Jorge said. 

“We just have to stay together.” Thomas said. That was going to be tough, however, with everyone shoving their way to the front.

“We are the voice of the voiceless!” A man shouted from the top of a truck. “They hide behind their walls, thinking they can keep the cure for themselves while they watch the rest of us wither and rot! But there are more of us than there are of them. And I say we rise up and fight back!” The crowd cheered. I noticed one of the man’s guards. He looked oddly familiar, but I just couldn’t place it. 

A Berg flew overhead, flanked by smaller drones. WICKED seemed to be keeping an eye on these people, knowing that they weren’t to be overlooked. 

“That’s it!” Said Thomas, pointing at the barricaded entrance. “That’s our way in.” 

“And how are we supposed to get through that?” I asked. Thomas either didn’t hear or pretended not to, because he kept making his way to the front. 

“What the hell did we get ourselves into?” Frypan exclaimed. 

We got to the front of the crowd. The path to the entrance was clear, but something was definitely wrong. There had to be a reason why no one went past this point. 

“Hey, guys, we have to go now, look!” Newt shouted, coming up behind me. I looked at where he was pointing and saw the man who I had recognized earlier walking towards us. His mask was still on, so I still couldn’t tell who it was. 

There was a loud groan from the walls, and all of the chanting and noises stopped. 

Bam! The large guns on top of the wall started firing rapidly at the crowd. 

“Run!” I yelled. We sprinted back, away from the walls as WICKED kept shooting at us. 

Newt pulled me into an alleyway and we ran down that corridor, trying to avoid the gunfire.

All of a sudden, two of the masked men appeared at the end of the alley. I turned around, but there was another one blocking our path on the other side. 

One of them grabbed Newt by the arm and pulled him away. I fought to get to him, but the other two had gotten ahold of me, and their combined strength was too much. 

I was shoved into a van, and I landed on top of someone as the door slammed shut and it drove away.

It turned out that the other person was Newt, and I sighed in relief.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He said. “You?” I nodded. The van rumbled down an unpaved road and pulled into some sort of warehouse after a few minutes. The doors opened and we were shoved outside. Brenda, Thomas, and Frypan were already there, looking just as confused as I felt.

Another van pulled in, and there was a loud thump from inside. The door flew open as the guard fell to the ground. Jorge followed, looking enraged.

“Where is she?!” He screamed, repeatedly punching the man’s face. 

“Whoa, whoa, I’m right here!” Brenda yelled as she ran towards him. Jorge sighed in relief and released the man. 

“Everybody relax.” Said the familiar looking one. “We’re all on the same side here.” 

“What do you mean ‘same side?’” Thomas asked. “Who the hell are you?” In response, the man pulled off his mask and turned around. I gasped. This wasn’t possible.

Because the person standing in front of us was Gally.

“Hey, Greenie.” He said. 

“Gally?” Thomas whispered. How was this happening? I killed Gally!

Thomas let out a cry of rage, ran forward, and punched Gally in the face. Gally fell to the ground, and Thomas stood over him, his fists raised. 

“Stop!” Newt shouted, running towards Thomas and holding him back. “Stop, okay! Calm down.”

“He killed Chuck.”

“Yeah, I know.” Newt said, sounding slightly exasperated. “I was there, I remember. And I also remember that he was stung and half out of his mind. Just calm down, okay?” 

Thomas reluctantly stood up and pulled his arm away from Newt. He backed away towards the rest of us, still glaring murderously at Gally. 

“I kind of had that coming.” Gally sighed. “Anybody else? Fry? Newt? Haylee?” A tempting offer, but attacking Gally wasn’t the best idea.

“You know this guy?” Jorge asked incredulously. 

“He was an old friend.” Frypan explained, staring at Gally in shock. 

“How?” Newt asked. “How is this possible? We watched you die.”

“No, you left me to die.” Gally corrected. “After… you threw a spear into my stomach.” He pointed at me.

“I don’t regret it.” I replied. 

“I don’t expect you to.” He retorted. “But if we hadn’t found you when we did, you would be dead right now. What the hell are you doing here, anyways?” 

“Minho.” Newt explained. “WICKED has him here. We’re looking for a way in.” 

“I can help with that.” Gally said. “Follow me.” 

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Thomas said hatefully. 

“Suit yourself, but I can get you through those walls.” 

Gally started to walk away. Thomas groaned, but he followed Gally through the warehouse along with the rest of us. Surprisingly, I wasn’t that mad at Gally. He had been under the influence of the Griever’s sting and WICKED. It wasn’t really his fault. 

“After the Maze, I got picked up by a group that was headed here.” Gally explained. “They realized I was immune, patched me up, and brought me here. This group has basically been at war with WICKED ever since they took control of the city. But WICKED can’t exactly hide behind those walls forever. A day is going to come when they’re going to pay for everything they’ve done.” 

Gally stopped at the entrance to a room where a soft song was playing, and a man stood in the shadows.

“Listen, he doesn’t get a lot of visitors.” Gally said. “So let me do the talking, alright?” I nodded, and Gally led us into the room. “Oh, and try not to stare.”

“Rose took my nose, I suppose.” The man muttered. “Rose took my nose, I suppose. Rose took my nose, I suppose.” 

“Lawrence?” Gally said cautiously.

“Gally!” Lawrence exclaimed. “Glad to see you made it back. They told me what happened.”

“It- it was a slaughter.” Gally said. “There’s nothing we can do against those guns.”

“No.” Lawrence sighed. “But they can only poke the hornet’s nest for so long before they get stung.” He picked up a rose and sniffed it. “Who are these people? Why are they here?” 

“We need to get into WICKED.” Thomas said, pushing past Gally. “Gally said you can get us through the walls.” 

“Well Gally should know better than to make promises that he can’t keep.” Lawrence said. “Besides, the walls are only half of your problem. Getting inside of WICKED is impossible.” 

“There might be a way now.” Gally piped up. “But it won’t work without Thomas here.” I wondered what this plan was, and why Thomas was required. I didn’t hate Gally, but I sure didn’t trust him either. 

“Is that so?” Lawrence said. And then he walked into the light.

He was a Crank, for sure, but not like any I had ever seen before. Most of his nose was missing, and part of his face was completely burned. He walked with a limp, and not one like Newt’s. Lawrence could barely walk, and he was hooked up to some kind of machine.

“Do you know what I am, Thomas?” Lawrence asked, putting an extra emphasis on Thomas’s name. “ I am a businessman. Which means I don’t take unnecessary risks. Why should I trust you?”

“Because I can help you.” Thomas replied. “You see, if you can get me through those walls, I can get you what you need.”

“And what is it that you think I need?”

“Time.” Thomas said. “Every last drop.” Lawrence smiled. At least, I think it was a smile. He exchanged a glance with Gally, who nodded.

“Three can go in for now.” Lawrence said. “The rest will stay here with me. Just a little… insurance. To make sure you find your way back. Do we have a deal?” 

Lawrence held out his hand, and Thomas shook it. 

We were now one step closer to our goal.


	5. The Last City

“This is disgusting.” I muttered as Gally led us through the sewer. 

“Yeah, this is great.” Thomas said sarcastically. Gally flicked a switch on a control panel, and the sewer filled with light. 

“Stay with me, we have a long way to go.” Gally said. The walk was mostly silent, and every little noise nearly made me jump.

“I am sorry.” I said to Gally breaking the silence. “You know about… killing you. Well, I guess I didn’t kill you, but still. Sorry.” 

“It’s fine.” Gally said. “You did the right thing. I- I killed Chuck. He was just an innocent kid, and I killed him.”

“That wasn’t your fault.” 

“Yes it was.” Gally countered. Before I could say anything else, he announced: “We’re here.” 

He opened the door and peeked through the crack. Once he was sure it was safe, he opened it fully, and we walked out into the city. 

It was even more amazing up close. The tall buildings were illuminated with bright lights. Advanced trains sped along railways, faster than anything I had seen. People walked through the streets, some wearing masks, all living a relatively normal life. I didn’t think there could ever be such a place in the world we lived in, but clearly I was wrong. 

“This is a long way from the Glade.” Newt commented as we stared at the city in awe. 

“15 minutes until mandatory curfew.” Said a female voice on a loudspeaker. “Proceed home in an orderly fashion. Remember this is for your safety.”

“We better get off the streets.” Gally said. “And I know it’s hard, but act like you’ve seen it before.” We followed Gally down the steps and through the streets of the Last City. 

We ran and hid by a store window as WICKED patrols passed by us. We couldn’t be seen, not by anyone. 

“Well, they’ve definitely upped security.” Gally sighed. “I’m guessing you shanks have something to do with that.” Once the coast was clear, we ran across the street and followed Gally to a lookout tower on the wall.

I climbed up first, pulling myself onto the wall. We reached the top level without running into anyone, which was good. And now, we finally had a view of WICKED’s giant headquarters.

“There it is.” Gally said. “If WICKED has Minho, that’s where they’re keeping him.” Gally set up some sort of binocular device on the ledge, which would enable us to see inside. “Lawrence has been trying to find a way in for years. The place is crawling with soldiers, and they have surveillance everywhere, scanners on every floor.”

“It sounds like a bloody fortress.” Newt commented.  
“Yeah, I thought you said you had a way in.” I added.

“I might.” 

“You might?” Thomas exclaimed. “What the shuck do you mean ‘might?’”

“Take a look.” Gally replied. “I said I had a way in. I didn’t say you were gonna like it.” Thomas hesitated, and then looked through the binocular device to see what Gally was planning.

Thomas gasped and backed up, staring at Gally like he was crazy. I took this opportunity to look into the device and see what the plan was. And it turned out, the plan was a person.

Teresa. 

…

“No.” Thomas said. “There has to be another way in.” We were back at Lawrence’s base now, discussing the plan with the others.

“Like what?” Gally retorted. “You’ve seen the building, she’s our only way in.” 

“You really think she’s gonna help us?” Thomas asked. 

“I don’t plan on asking permission.” Said Gally. 

“Am I missing something here?” Brenda asked. “This is the same girl who betrayed us, right? Same dick?”

“I like her.” Gally said, pointing at Brenda.

“What’s going on?” She added.

“What, are you afraid your little girlfriend’s gonna get hurt?” Newt asked. “Hm? This has never just been about rescuing Minho, has it?”

“Newt, what are you talking about?” Thomas said, startled by Newt’s sudden outburst. What had brought this on?

“Teresa!” Newt exclaimed. “She’s the only reason that Minho’s even missing in the first place, now we finally have an opportunity to get him back, and you don’t want to because of her?” 

What was going on with Newt? Something was clearly not right.

“Because deep down, you still care about her.” Newt continued. “Just admit it.” 

“Newt, I-“

“Don’t lie to me!” Newt yelled, and he shoved Thomas against the wall. I gasped quietly. “Don’t. Lie. To. Me.” 

And then, his expression turned into one of regret as he released Thomas from his grip. He looked around, realizing what he’d done. 

“I’m sorry.” He whispered. “I- I’m sorry.” And he practically ran from the room, leaving no explanation.


	6. Just One Hour

“Hey.” I said as I cautiously approached Newt, who was sitting on a ledge and satin gout at the city’s skyline.

“Sorry about that.” Newt said. “Back there. I guess I can’t hide this anymore.” He rolled up his sleeve, and I gasped softly. On Newt’s arm was a Crank wound. He was infected.

No. No, no, no, please no. Not this. Anything but this.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked, sitting down next to him.

“Didn’t think it would make any difference.” He replied. “All I know is that WICKED must have put me in that Maze for a reason. Maybe it was literally just so they could tell the difference between immunes like you and people like me.” 

“We can still fix this, Newt.” I said. “We can.”

“Don’t worry about me.” Newt said. “This is about Minho. Now he needs us. So if there is even the slightest chance that we can save him, that we can get him out of there? We have to take that. No matter what the cost.” 

“Okay.” I said. “But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice yourself. I- I can’t lose you, Newt.” 

He leaned his head on my shoulder, and we gazed out into the distance, where the city loomed up ahead.

“You know what?” I said. “Let’s take an hour. An hour for us. We don’t need to think about WICKED or the Flare or this crazy plan that we’re about to pull off. Just this moment, right here and now.”

“Alright.” Newt grinned. “Can you sing something, love?” I nodded, trying to think of the perfect song for this moment. Once I had it, I took a few deep breaths and began to sing.

_When love’s a battle  
And life’s a war  
When I just can’t go on fighting anymore  
When I’m surrounded  
And they’re closing in  
When I feel the bullets graze against my skin_

_This world’s a war zone  
But I’ve got a shield  
And I won’t surrender  
'Cause your love feels  
Like an army of angels  
Like an army of angels  
Like an army of angels  
Like an army of angels_

_If hate is poison then loves the cure  
And it’s you that drives the demons from my door  
When they got me cornered  
Close to giving in  
Oh, I feel you round me like a second skin_

_This world’s a war zone  
But I’ve got a shield  
And I won’t surrender  
'Cause your love feels  
Like an army of angels  
Like an army of angels  
Like an army of angels  
Like an army of angels_

“That was your best one yet.” Newt said once I finished singing. I looked into his eyes, recalling the first time we met, when I came up in that Box, and he helped me settle into the Glade life. We had come so far from then, so far from when everything felt at least a little normal. 

He brushed a strand of hair from my face, his tender hands caressing my skin. And then my lips met his, joining perfectly as they always did. We were like two puzzle pieces, completing each other. 

“Promise me you’ll never leave me.” Newt whispered.

“I promise.” I replied. “I will always be with you, Newt. Together until the end.” And he kissed me again, making me feel like I was floating on air. If only we were two normal people in a normal world. If only we had hope for a normal life.

…

“I think the hour is over.” I sighed. It was already starting to get dark out, and we had to set this plan in motion. 

Newt stood up first and started walking over to the door, and I followed. He hesitated once he actually reached the door, as he would have to explain what was going on to the others.

“Hey.” I said, placing my hand on his shoulder. “It’s going to be okay.” He smiled at me and then opened the door. I took a deep breath and walked inside. 

_He’s going to be okay_ , I told myself. And I almost believed that. Almost.


	7. The Last Phase of Planning

Thomas walked over to where I was currently staring at the wall and sat down. Newt had just told everyone else that he had the Flare, and I don’t think anyone was taking it well. Including me.

“Why did it have to be Newt?” I asked aloud. 

“Sometimes the world just isn’t fair.” Thomas said quietly, but I could tell he agreed with me.

“Out of all of us, he deserved it the least.” I continued. “I mean, you and me, we’ve done some pretty messed-up stuff. But not him. Even in this crazy world, he managed to be a truly good person.” We sat there in silence for a few more minutes. 

“We’re gonna go through with Gally’s plan.” Thomas said. “Even though it involves Teresa. We’re going to do it.” 

“Good.” I replied. “Let’s get our friend back.” 

…

Thomas and Gally had managed to capture Teresa, who was currently tied to a chair. I’ll admit, it gave me a little bit of satisfaction to see _her_ as the captured one. 

“Gally?” Teresa gasped once the bag was taken off of her head.

“Here’s how this is going to go.” Gally said, not bothering to give her an explanation as to how he was alive. “We’re going to ask you some questions, and you’re going to tell us exactly what we need to know. Let’s start of simple: Where’s Minho?”

“You guys don’t seriously think-“ Teresa started to say to Thomas, but Gally slammed his own chair down in front of her and sat down. 

“Don’t look at him.” Gally said. “Why are you looking at him? Look at me. He’s not going to help you. We know you have Minho in the building. Where?” 

“He’s with the others in holding.” Teresa replied quietly. “Sub-level three.”

“How many others?” I asked.

“28.”

“I can make that work.” Brenda said from another table. Her job in the plan was to get the other immunes out of the city.

“No, you guys don’t understand.” Teresa said. “The whole level is restricted, you can’t get in without a thumbprint ID.”

“That’s why you’re going to come with us.” Thomas explained.

“Well, I don’t know.” Gally said with a shrug. “We don’t necessarily need her, right? Not all of her. We just need her finger.” He picked up a knife from the table as he said this.

“Not a bad idea.” I commented. Thomas looked at both of us incredulously. 

“Gally, back off.” Thomas warned. 

“What, are you squeamish?” Gally retorted.

“She’s done a lot worse to Minho.” I added. “And she’s done a lot worse to me. You weren’t there, Thomas. You weren’t held captive at WICKED _because of her_. You didn’t see her standing there and taking notes while they tortured us.”

“It’s not the plan.” Thomas growled. “Back off.” 

“It won’t make a difference.” Teresa piped up. “Do whatever you want to me, you still won’t get through the front door. The sensors will pick you up-“

“We know.” Thomas interrupted. “We’re tagged. ‘Property of WICKED.’ You’re gonna help us with that, too.” 

…

I was completely against the idea of Teresa removing our tags. But, she was the only one here who knew how to do it, and we couldn’t exactly waltz into WICKED with it still on.

“Last time we spoke, you swore you would kill me.” Teresa commented as she worked. I winced as she went through the process, but I had gone through worse pain than that.

“Well unfortunately, we need you.” I grumbled. “So it’s your lucky day.” 

“You know, I remember things.” She said. “From before the Maze. We the only girls in the group and… we were close. Like sisters, almost.” 

“Well I guess you should have thought about that before betraying us.” I retorted. 

“I did it because it was the right thing.” Teresa said. “Finding a cure would benefit all of you, too.” I stayed silent. Teresa’s main goal may have been good, but the steps she took to get there? Not good at all.

“Newt’s infected, isn’t he?”

That hit me like a speeding truck. She knew, of course she knew. Teresa had been studying us for practically her whole life. 

“Why do you care?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even. 

“Why wouldn’t I care?” She exclaimed. “Just because of what I did, it doesn’t mean that I want any of you to die. After everything, you all deserve to live a good life. And if we find a cure, Newt can live that life too.” 

“He wouldn’t even be infected if it wasn’t for you!” I said. “If you hadn’t called WICKED, we would all be in the Safe Haven right now, together, healthy, and safe.” With that, I stood up from the chair, the procedure having been finished. I walked over to where Frypan and Gally were sitting.

“She enjoyed that.” Gally said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“You’re probably right.” Frypan sighed.

“Here.” Newt said from behind me, dumping a pile of clothes on the table. “See if these fit.” I rifled through the clothes until I found a WICKED uniform that seemed to be in my size.

The calm was over. Now came the storm.


	8. Infiltration

The plan was, Thomas, Newt, Gally, and I were all disguised as WICKED guards who were escorting Teresa. We were all stationed at various points throughout the building, and we all joined together to get to the sub-levels. 

Teresa put her thumb on the scanner, and the door opened. We walked through, guns ready. 

“Hold on.” Gally said once we were in the stairwell. He opened the control panel and started to work on it. Thomas went down a few steps to contact Brenda. 

Newt took off his mask and coughed loudly. No, no, no, the Flare was already affecting him. 

“Hey, it’s going to be okay.” I whispered. “Just hang in there.” He nodded and pulled his mask back down. He was so determined, even if it would cost him his life.

“Alright, let’s go.” Gally said. He slammed the control panel shut, and we made our way down the stairs towards the big door.

Thomas checked in with Frypan and Brenda, who were both in position. 

“Ready?” I asked, placing explosives on the door. Thomas nodded in confirmation. “Cover your ears.” I pressed down on the detonator, and the door exploded. Shocked looking guards were standing in the room, and Newt sprang into action, shooting at them with his Launcher.

The sound of gunfire was deafening, but we persisted until all of the guards were down. 

“Alright, let’s get these kids out.” Thomas said. I ran over to one of the doors, and slammed the ‘open’ button.

The immune kids inside all backed away in fear, and I yanked my mask off to show that I was with them.

“It’s okay!” I said. “We’re here to save you, come on.” The kids stood up and followed me out into the main room. I glanced around. Still no sign of Minho. But he must have been in one of the other cells. 

“Guys, this might take some time.” Gally said, sizing up WICKED’s large vault. 

“Shit.” Thomas muttered, peering into the last cell. “He’s not here.” You have got to be kidding me. 

“What?” Newt asked. “Well where is he?” Teresa walked over to one of the computers and ran a search, with Thomas over her shoulder the whole time. 

So much for the plan. But, then again, when do our plans ever work?

“They’ve moved him up to the medical wing.” Teresa explained. “That’s on the other side of the building.”

“Okay, take me there right now.” Thomas said. 

“I’m coming with you.” I said, and Thomas nodded. 

“Me too.” Newt said. 

“No, you’re not.” Thomas said. “You need to stay here and wait with Gally for the serum.”

“You two can’t do this on your own.” Newt replied. “Minho comes first, remember.” 

“Newt…” I trailed off, but I knew nothing would change his mind.

“Just go, we’re wasting time!” Gally yelled. “I’ll get the serum, we’ll meet you out back.” 

“Okay, fine, let’s go.” Thomas sighed. I put my mask back on and followed Teresa and Thomas. Beside me, Newt coughed again, though he was clearly trying to cover it up. 

Please, I thought. Please let him live. 

“Hey, Greenie!” Gally called out. “Good luck.” 

…

We walked as fast as we could without drawing attention to ourselves. Teresa led us to an elevator that would take us to the higher levels. We stepped inside, and she pressed the correct button.

Teresa was being strangely cooperative. But I wasn’t going to question that now, when we needed her.

The doors were about to be all the way closed when a hand slid in between them. The doors opened again to reveal none other than Janson, the Ratman. Oh shit.

I couldn’t see Thomas or Newt’s facial expressions, but I could assume that they looked as alarmed as I felt.

“You’re working late.” Janson commented as the elevator rose up. “That’s what I like about you, Teresa. No matter how bleak things get, you never give up. In times like this, you need a friend that you can count on.” 

“I’ll bear that in mind.” Teresa said softly.

“There is one thing you should know.” Janson added. “One friend to another. Thomas is here. A surveillance picked him up outside the walls. Ava didn't want you to know, but there is a chance that he may try to contact you, and if he does, I'd like to think that I'd be your first call.” 

“Are you going to kill him?” Teresa asked.

“Would that be a problem?” Janson replied. There was a loud ding, and the elevator doors opened. Thank god. 

“This is me.” Teresa said, and she hurried out of the elevator. Thomas, Newt, and I followed, Thomas making sure to bump into Janson on his way out. 

“Thomas, you have to listen to me.” Teresa said while we kept walking. “Getting that serum won’t save Newt. It might buy him some time, but-“

“Just ignore her.” Newt interrupted. “She’s trying to get inside your head.” Well, if that was her goal, it was working.

“Thomas, listen, you know what’s going on out there, people are dying, the world is dying! There’s something about your blood I don’t understand.”

“Open it.” Thomas said once we reached the door. 

“Let me run some tests.” Teresa said as she placed her thumb on the scanner. “I promise, I can protect you.” 

That was the last straw for Thomas.

“Yeah?” He said, throwing his mask on the ground. “Like you protected Minho?”

“Thomas, what are you doing?” I whispered, grabbing his arm. But he shook me off and kept ranting.

“How many people is it going to take?” He continued. “How many more people do you have to round up, torture, kill, huh? When the shuck does it stop?”

“It stops when we find a cure!” She retaliated. 

“There is no goddamn cure.” Thomas raged. 

“Don’t waste your breath, Teresa.” Janson’s voice ran gout through the empty area. He was standing on the other side of the catwalk, with a gun in his hand. “He made his choice a long time ago.”

“Drop it!” Someone yelled. I turned to see WICKED guards running at us from the side, Launchers in hand. 

Suddenly, Thomas grabbed Teresa and held his gun to her head as Newt and I tried to keep the guards back. 

“Back off!” Thomas yelled. Meanwhile, more guards were coming, flanking Janson. “Tell them to back off!”

“Thomas, come on.” Janson said. “I know you. You’re not going to shoot her.”

“You don’t think so?” Thomas asked. But Janson was right. And Newt had been right before, too. Thomas still cared about Teresa, whether he admitted it or not.

“Okay, go on then.” Janson said, calling Thomas’s bluff. “Shoot her. Prove me wrong. Shoot. Her.” 

All of a sudden, Teresa broke free of Thomas’s grip and shoved us through the doorway. She then slammed her hand on a button that caused the fire safety door to close. 

Janson fired his gun, but the glass that we were behind was bulletproof.

_Nice one, Teresa._

“Let’s go then.” Thomas said. I followed him down the hallway, taking my mask off as I went. There was no need for it now. 

Everyone else did their part. Now it was our turn. Time to find Minho.


	9. Saving Minho

We didn’t run through the hallway. Instead, we tried to blend in with the other guards on the level, all the while frantically searching for Minho.

It was like a maze, which was ironic. 

Thomas stopped short, and I turned around to see what made him do that. Standing across the hallway was Ava Paige.

Thomas pulled out his gun, and was about to shoot when Janson entered the opposite side of the hallway.

“Thomas, watch out!” Newt shouted. Thomas ducked just in time as Janson started shooting. We ran, turning the next corner and sprinting through this labyrinth. 

“Okay, new plan.” Thomas said. But before he could explain this plan, more guards appeared in front of us. 

I fired my gun, hitting one of them in the stomach. The others went down from shots by Thomas and Newt, and we kept running.

“Minho!” I shouted. “Minho!” 

Even if Minho was nearby, there was no way I would be able to hear him. The entire level was in complete chaos, with people running around and screaming.

Bullets whizzed past as more guards and scientists ran past us. There wasn’t much we could do except hope the bullets wouldn’t hit us.

I turned around occasionally, took aim, and fired, taking out a few of the guards chasing us. But even that wasn’t very effective.

My gun clicked, and I realized that I was out of bullets. 

“Shit.” I said. “I’m out!”

“Here!” Thomas yelled, tossing me a spare gun. I caught it and kept shooting at the oncoming soldiers. But the gun that Thomas gave me was small, and it ran out quickly.

“Get down!” Newt shouted. We backed up against a wall, the soldiers still in the hallway that was next to us. 

Newt crawled forwards towards one of the dead guards and grabbed a taser bomb. 

“Get back!” He yelled as he activated it. I ducked down, and Newt threw the taser bomb into the hallway, taking out all of the guards. 

“Nice one.” I muttered, and we kept going.

We ran down the next corridor where, unfortunately, there were three guards who seemed to just be waiting for us. 

“Stay behind me.” I whispered, pulling the throwing knives out of my belt.

“What are you doing?” Thomas asked. “Get down!”

“Just trust me!” I retorted. I took careful aim, and threw. All three knives hit their intended targets.

“You know, you’re scary sometimes.” Newt said. 

“Thanks.” I replied. 

“You three, stop!” Said a voice. It was a guard, pointing his gun at us. And we were completely out of weapons. “Get down on the ground, now!” 

And then there was Minho, attacking the soldier with his full force. He slammed the man against the wall and then threw him through the window with a loud cry of rage. 

“Minho!” We all exclaimed at the same time, and we ran forward and hugged him. 

“Is this real?” He asked breathlessly. We all nodded, grinning like idiots.

Unfortunately, the moment didn’t last. More WICKED soldiers ran through the halls, and we sprinted to avoid them. 

“Come on!” Thomas yelled. But the corridor that we chose led us right to Janson. “Whoa! In here!”

We ran into the nearest room and locked the door behind us. The room had no other doors, only a giant window that made up one of the walls. 

Minho and Newt started to barricade the door. I looked out the window. It was a long drop, but there was water down below. 

That is a terrible idea, I thought to myself. But one glance at Thomas told me he was thinking the same thing.

Sparks flew near the door. WICKED was trying to get it open, and it seemed like they were going to succeed soon. We had to get out of here. 

“Any ideas?” Minho yelled.

“Maybe.” Thomas replied, still looking at the window. 

“That is a bloody awful idea.” Said Newt.

“Well, it’s the only one we have.” I said. Between the four of us, we managed to lift a pretty heavy piece of equipment and thew it out the window, which caused the window to shatter.

All that was left do was jump.

I glanced over at Newt. His fear of heights seemed to be nonexistent right now. Was that because of the Flare? I hoped not, because that would mean it was taking hold faster than I thought.

“Okay.” Thomas said. “It’s doable. We just need a little running start.” Doable? I’d hate to see Thomas’s idea of not doable. 

“Are you sure about this?” I asked. 

“Not really.” 

“Nice pep talk.” Minho commented.

“Yeah.” Newt added. “We’re all bloody inspired.” Suddenly, the door banged open, our barricade becoming completely useless. 

“Jump!” Thomas yelled, and we ran to the window and jumped out.

The wind whistled in my ears as I plummeted towards the ground, my hair flying wildly behind me. I hit the water and immediately felt the cold settle in as I swam for the surface. 

The others resurfaced, and we paddled towards the edge and pulled ourselves out of the water and onto the hard concrete. 

“You guys okay?” Thomas asked. I nodded, shaking the water off. 

There was the familiar sound of guns loading, and I turned around to see four WICKED guards, all pointing Launchers at us. 

Really? Can’t we just get one break?!

“You four, don’t move!” One yelled. 

“Oh, you have got to be kidding.” Minho muttered. But, miraculously, one of the guards suddenly turned and fired on the other three. Our mysterious savior pulled off his helmet, revealing Gally. 

“Gally?!” Minho said in shock. I had forgotten that Minho didn’t know Gally was still alive. 

“Minho.” Gally greeted. He looked up at the window we had just jumped from, and then back at us. “You guys are nuts.” 

“We’ll explain later.” I said to Minho, and we went along with Gally. 

We probably should have prepared a better escape plan.


	10. The World is Falling Apart

We ran across the street and hid behind large slab of stone as WICKED patrols and helicopters searched for us throughout the city.

Newt doubled over, coughing. The veins in his neck had started to turn black, and his eyes had a red tinge to them. 

“Hey, just a little bit more okay?” I said softly. 

“Wait, what’s going on?” Minho asked. I glanced up at him, and he seemed to realize what was happening. 

“How are you feeling?” Minho said to Newt.

“Terrible.” Newt replied. “It’s good to see you, though.” Minho nodded and smiled slightly. He then made his way over to Thomas and Gally, who were discussing a plan.

“Haylee.” Newt groaned. 

“I’m here.” I said, and he squeezed my hand tightly. “You can make Newt, I know you can.” 

Why Newt? Of all the people, why did the universe have to choose Newt? He was so innocent, so kind, so undeserving of this pain. 

Take me instead, I silently begged, but I knew that was impossible. 

“Alright.” Thomas said. “Let’s go.” He held out his hand to Newt, who took it, and we helped him up. 

We continued to run through the city, avoiding WICKED’s patrols and guards. As fast as we went, we were still far from the tunnels, and Newt was only getting worse. 

There was a giant explosion at the main entrance to the city. That section of the wall crumbled, and the rest of the wall started to crack as well. 

Lawrence. He was leading an attack.

“We’re supposed to take down WICKED not the entire damn city.” Gally said. 

“Come on.” Thomas said. “We’ll go another way.” We turned around and ran through the alleyways. 

Thousands of Cranks poured through the opening in the wall. All of them were carrying some sort of weapon, and all of them were prepared to fight and possibly die trying.

“The tunnels are right up ahead!” Gally said as we ducked to avoid WICKED guards. Explosions went off in the distance as the Cranks got closer and closer to WICKED’s headquarters. 

We hid behind a stone bench in what used to be a garden. There was a large group of WICKED soldiers at one end of the street. But they weren’t aiming at us.

“What are they waiting for?” Minho whispered. As if on cue, the Crank army ran down the street setting off their bombs and shooting at anyone in sight.

“Stay down!” I shouted as rogue bullets and blasts flew by. 

There was no way to describe the feeling that I felt now. Newt was dying, violence raged in the only city in the entire world, and we were stuck in it. 

“We have to go right now!” Gally shouted, but he was cut off by an anguished scream from one of the WICKED soldiers. 

“Brenda, are you there?” Thomas screamed into his walkie-talkie. I had completely forgotten about Brenda and Frypan in all this chaos. Hopefully, they were alright and they could help.

We dove into a narrow alley, avoiding a large explosion in the streets. Thomas continued to communicate with Brenda, probably forming some sort of plan. 

Minho and Gally kept watch, guns ready, prepared to fight off anyone. That just left me with Newt.

“Come on, Newt, stay with me.” I said. The black veins had nearly traveled all the way up his neck now, and he looked extremely pale. 

“Do- do you remember you first night in the Glade?” Newt asked. “You somehow got ahold of a knife and you threatened to stab us.” He laughed a little at the last part. 

“Yeah.” I said. “You were the only one who even dared to get close to me. And you sat there with me for hours, explaining everything. You made me feel like I wasn’t alone.” 

“Haylee.” He said. “If I die today, I want you to know that I’ve loved you from the second I saw you. I know how cheesy that sounds, but it’s true. I will always love you.” 

“I love you so much, Newt.” I replied. “And you’re not going to die today.” He smiled, and then started coughing again, worse than before. 

“We need to keep moving!” Thomas yelled. “Brenda’s coming with the serum.” I helped Newt get up, and we continued our journey through the falling city.

“Newt we’re almost there!” Gally shouted after a few minutes of running. 

“Just…leave me.” Newt grunted. But that was not an option.

A flaming car flew across our path, narrowly missing us. It was followed by more Cranks ravaging the city.

“Whoa, get back!” Minho yelled. 

Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, the Berg appeared overhead. It was our Berg, carrying Brenda, who, in turn, had the serum that would save Newt.

“That’s them.” Said Thomas. “We have to go!”

“Go without me.” Newt said as he coughed up a thick black substance. 

“Minho.” Thomas said evenly. “You have to run ahead. Get the serum, and get back to us as soon as you can. Go.” 

“He’s right.” Gally chimed in. “I can cover you.” 

“Minho.” Newt gasped. “Thank you. Thank you, Minho.”

“Hey, you just hang on, you hear me?” Minho said. And then he stood up, following Gally out into the street, and running as fast as he could. 

“Leave me.” Newt whispered.

“Never.” I replied, my eyes filled with tears. “Together until the end, remember?”

His eyes slid in and out of focus as he fought the effects of the Flare. But there was only so much we could do.

“Thomas.” I said. “We’re running out of time.” 

“Newt.” Thomas said, leaning down. “Hey! Newt!” He turned to me. “We have to get him out of here.” 

“No, no!” Newt shouted, pulling at something on his neck. It turned out to be a necklace. “Take this!” 

“Newt, come on-“

“Take this!”

“Just take it, Thomas!” I shouted. He nodded frantically and grabbed it, which seemed to calm Newt down.

“Newt, give me everything you’ve got, alright?” I said. “We’re going to get you out of here, but I need you to be strong, okay? I know you’re strong enough.” 

Together, Thomas and I lifted him up and slung each of his arms over our shoulders. 

“Ready?” Thomas whispered. “Now!” 

We half-carried him through the streets as explosions and gunfire boomed all around us. Newt struggled to stay upright, grunting with effort as we ran for our lives.

As we ran for his life.

“Through here, through here!” Thomas screamed over the destruction. We squeezed through a destroyed glass door into an empty area.

Newt was starting to fall, despite all of our best efforts to keep him up. He was shaking and convulsing. The Flare was taking over.

“Come on Newt, stay with me!” I said. But he let go of me and slid to the ground, choking and gasping for breath.

“No, come on Newt!” Thomas shouted. 

“Newt, please.” I sobbed. “Don’t give up on me now.” In one last desperate attempt to save him, I grabbed one of his arms and started to drag him across the ground as he screamed for me to let him go, to leave him. 

He pulled free again, collapsing to the ground. 

“Thomas?” 

It was Teresa. She wasn’t actually here, but she was using some kind of speaker to amplify her voice. 

“Can you hear me? I need you to listen to me. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I need you to come back. Thomas, you can save Newt. There's still time for him. There's a reason Brenda isn't sick anymore. It's your blood. Do you understand? She isn't sick, because you cured her. She doesn't have to be the only one. All you have to do is come back. And this will all finally be over. Please. Just come back to me. I know you'll do the right-“ The transmission cut out.

Thomas was wide-eyed, looking confused. But I understood. He was the cure. He could save everyone. He could save Newt-

Newt. 

He rose up from the ground. All of his veins were completely dark. The thick fluid dripped from his mouth. And the look in his eyes…

Newt was a Crank.


	11. Until the End

“Newt?” I said cautiously. 

Newt let out a load roar and ran right at me. He slammed his arm into my stomach. The Flare had somehow given him extra strength, and I flew into the wall.

And then, for a moment, Newt seemed normal again. But the Flare retook control, and Newt attacked Thomas.

I had to think. There was no way I would hurt Newt. But Newt was perfectly capable of hurting me right now. 

Come on, Minho. Get that serum here now.

I just had to keep Newt alive until Minho got back.

I stood up, fighting the pain. Newt had managed to basically defeat Thomas, and now he had a knife in his hand, ready to stab down.

“Newt, stop!” I screamed. Miraculously, that worked, and Newt stood up to face me. And when I looked into his eyes, I knew there was still hope. The Flare hadn’t taken him yet.

“Newt.” I said again. “You just need to hang on a little bit longer. Just a little bit more, and you’ll be okay.”

“No.” Newt said softly. “You have to kill me.” 

“No, we can save you-“ I started to say, tears streaming down my face.

“Haylee.” Newt said. “I love you. I love you more than anything. And if you love me, you need to kill me. Please.” 

With a trembling hand, I held up my gun. It was what he wanted. But as I prepared to fire, as I looked into those eyes, those eyes that I had stared into so much, I knew that I would never be able to.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered. I dropped my gun, and it clattered to the ground. “I can’t.” 

And the Flare took over again. Newt let out a cry of rage, and before I could do anything, the knife left his hand and found it’s mark in my stomach.

“NO!” Thomas shouted.

My fingers closed around the handle, and I pulled the knife out. It came away dripping with blood. 

I fell to the ground, and the odd thing was, I didn’t feel any pain. 

Newt ran over to me, the Flare having momentarily cleared from his mind. He held me in his arms, sobbing.

“No, no, no.” He whispered. “Haylee. No, please.” 

Was this what it felt like to die? It was nothing like what I imagined. 

“It’s okay.” I said, placing my hand on his. “It’s okay.”

Teresa, I forgive you. Not that she’ll ever know that. But I understand her now, in these last moments. I understand why she did everything. She wasn’t a bad person, she was just trying to do the right thing.

“I’m so sorry, love.” Newt cried as he cradled me in his arms. “Stay alive, please-“ 

I’m sorry I couldn’t save you sooner, Minho. My final goodbye and apology to my friend, words that he will never hear.

“Haylee, please-“

Thank you for everything, Thomas. He’s the reason we escaped the Maze and survived the Scorch. We wouldn’t have gotten nearly as far without him. 

“I… promised… I would never leave you.” I said to Newt. “I’m sorry… to break that promise.”

“Haylee, please, please.” Newt sobbed. “I need you, I love you, please stay with me.”

“I could never hurt you, Newt. I love you. I can’t live in a world without you.” 

The last thing I see is Newt’s eyes. And what a beautiful last sight it is.


	12. Even in Death, I Will Always Love You

The world is completely bright, and there is nothing around for miles and miles. 

I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I turn to see Newt. Completely free of the Flare, cured by death.

I fall into his embrace, his touch as familiar as the back of my hand. I know we are dead. I do not know what will happen next. The only thing that matters is this moment.

“Did I ever let you down?” I whisper. Newt smiles, his hand reaching up to stroke my hair.

“Never.” He says. 

And in this moment, I am finally at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for actually reading this series! It means a lot that you stuck with it the whole way
> 
> The song used in this book was "Army of Angels" by The Script.
> 
> Remember, WICKED is not good.


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